How to survive your baby cutting their first tooth

My son displayed all of the above systems for several days. He would wake up screaming every few hours. This led to a more severe case of sleep deprivation than usual. As a mother we are used to sleep deprivation, so never fear you will get through it. Below is a list of what I hope will be helpful hints to help both of you survive.

Tips to help a teething child:

1. Over the counter remedies such as gels and teething tablets provides some immediate relief. Note: These items seem to move on there own and are never where you left them. In response I recommend you buy multiples which will increase your chance of finding one in the middle of the night.
2. Give your child a clean, wet, frozen rag to chew on.
3. Store bought teether's kept frozen or in the fridge can provide numbing relief.
4. Frozen fruit such as bananas cut up and served in mesh teether's are wonderful! You can find these mesh teether's at most infant retail stores.
5. Freeze a half juice/half water mixture in ice trays and place in mesh teether's. The mesh prevents the child from swallowing and potentially choking on large chunks. This was my son's personal favorite.

He now has all his teeth except for his second year molars. They are usually the last to come in and can often be the most painful. I have survived all his teeth so far, so I have hope that we will survive the molars. Wish me luck!

The Tooth Fairy isn't that nice after all.

As a new parent I am sure your have heard not only countless horror stories, but also a few stories of babies miraculously sprouting their first tooth overnight with no pain. Unfortunately for most of us it will not be a pleasant experience. My son cut his first teeth at 5 months, and we learned the Tooth Fairy is really an evil being. As a new parent I had no idea what to really expect. I had read several parenting books and was surprised that I didn't put all the signs together. The crying and fussiness started first, and my husband noticed Jacob's gums were swollen and red. Within a few days the gum developed a white spot where the teeth eventually erupted. Jacob's first tooth took about a week to come in, and we spent most nights comforting him every few hours. Apparently it is very common for teeth to cut in pairs, which is what Jacob's did. Most infants cut their front teeth first, but not always. Once the first teeth were through Jacob started cutting new ones every few weeks until his first birthday.

Common signs of teething:

1. Increased drooling-bring on the bibs! Jacob drooled through the bibs and his shirts. I changed him every hour, but he still developed a rash under his chin from the drool.
2. Low grade fever
3. Bright red checks
4. Swollen gums-might also have a white bump where the tooth is going to appear
5. Fussiness-especially at night which is when the tooth usually works its way through
6. Diarrhea